Terra-cotta article



Dec. 30, 1930.. A. F. HOTTINGER 1,786,753

TERRA GOTTA ARTICLE Original Filed Oct. 5, 1927 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIII'IIIIII IIIIII are inserted. Otlif. methods employ the en- Patented Dec; 30, 1930 means ere-ra s Mrs-arwer i enc ant; nominees, OECI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T NoR'rnwEsTnRn TERRA Gerri COMPANY, or CHICAGO, rumors; A ooitroae'rroivoernrnvors I TERRA-GOTTA ARTICLE" Original applicationfiled October a, 1927, Serial No. 223,542. Divided and this application filed November T he present invention relates to terracotta articles.

The presentinvention is a division ofthe application filed by the present applicant on October 3,1927; Serial No. 223,542, entitled Methods for making terra 'cotta articles.

In the makingof terra cotta articles it hasbefen common practice to provide a mold and lining" the face and sides of said mold 'xfvithl'ayers of clay; after vhieh cross'iibs trudi'rig of thej ,clay',,but such methods have not rtduiceaa satisfactory article Though 'teiira; cott a, articles are not called upon to bear is the heavy stresses borne by concrete building blocks, they arels uloj ectje'd 'toj burning .operations'iiitheirpreparatiomand in order to provideuniform treatinent it isne'ces'sary that the cross sectional area of thepartsf of the terracotta article be much thinner than in buildingblocks. 'It'is arpiioblem to prevent V the terracotta articles from Warping'inthc burning operation andthe cooling operat on whiclrfollotv'sl p I 7 'An object of the present invention is to provide a terracotta article havingrelatively great strength perunit f-We ght and so, fhfniedihit rtlieniatter of burnlng 1s simplified otter prior practice.

r 0 A1further objectisto provide a terracotta article havingsections tvhich are muchthinner; than has beenithej practice I heretofore, ivhereby improved uniformity of material is A further object is to provide an improved terra-cotta article Which has improved support for the front face of said article, Where- I, 1 by'i the tendencyof said front :face to sink is 6 a it fr niiniin-izedl V Furtherob eets will'appear as the description proceeds. r

I "Referringto the dratvingsf I p Figure'l'shotvs a terracotta artlcleloolzin'g 'e'rearsideand showing holes extending rremisaidrear side and longitud nal holes; spaced betweenf'saidj fir'st'm'entioned 2 ho es} Figure 2 5 50551; taken alongtheiplane inaleatea b tea ma-2 2 OfFigLiI'e 1;;

Serial No. 318,362.

may he used informing an article such as shown in Figure at;

Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating a clay removingtwl which may be used in the pract ce of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 7+7 of Fig- 7 Figure Tais a view in elevation of the tool shown in Figures 6 and 7, illustrating means for insuring the readyremoval of said tool trom'the clay; and

FigureS is a modified form of clay remov-v 111g tool.

Referring first to Figures 1 and a terra cottaart cle' s indicated by the numeral 10,

which article is provided with holes 11- -11,"

which holes extend from the rear wall 12 of said article to a region spaced fromthe front Wall 13 ofisaid'article whereby said front Wallh1 3 is iinperforate; Said article v1O is prhtiideid with the ltm itudinally extending holes lh'vvhic-h holes l e-14 are disposed inct d e f eir ef s id holes 15-11 Reiterringmotvto Figure 3, a terracotta article is 'disclosed inwvliich-the holes 1515 extending from the rear ivall thereof are symmetrically disposed relative to one another. In a practical embodiment of the present invention said holes 15-15 are about two inches indiameter. In the spaces defined by sets otfour of said relatively large -ho1 es-l, 5vl5 are smaller holes 1616, which in saidupractic'al embodimentare about of an inchlin diameter. 2

Referring to Figure 4:, it will be noted that the terra cotta article having the irregular tronithe back Wall thereof, whicli'holes are of varying depths, depending upon'the difront faceis provided witli holes extending c men sions betweensaid back Wall and the various portions of said irregular front face.

It ,Will be noted that each, of the'holes hereinbefore referred to is of substantially uniform diameter from the bottom thereof to the back wall of the terra cotta article.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the holes in the terra cotta articles are provided by removing the clay; said clay being bored out, out out, or punched out, to provide said holes. The terra cotta article may be formed in a mold 17, and clay of uniform texture may be filled into said mold, after which the holes referred to are provided by removing the clay. Holes extending from the rear of the terra cotta article may be provided by gangs of clay removing tools. Fig ure 5 illustrates in side elevation a gang of tools suitable for providing holes in the terra cotta article shown in Figure 4.. The clay rcmoving tools are indicated by the numerals l818, said tools being adjustably mounted within the head 1.9, which may be supported in any prefered manner.

Figures 6, 7 and 7a illustrate one form of tool which may be used, sai tool con'iprising a cylinder 20 having a wi c 21 diametrically disposed across the lower en d thereof. It will be clear that the cylinder 20 may be inserted into the clay and then given a half turn. Said half turn will result in the cutt' of a column of clay which will be removed with the cylinder 20. In order to prevent the cylinder 20 from becoming air locked withinthe clay, the exterior of said cylinder is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced grooves 2lA-21.A, which permit access of air be tween said cylinder 20 and the clay. Said grooves 21A-21A are preferably slanting from top to near the'bottom of the tool, or

they may be arranged spirally. The grooves 21A21A should stop a little short of the lower cutting edge of the cylinder in order that said lower cutting edge may be intact.

Figure 8 represents another form of clay removing tool comprising an auger 22 disposed within the cylinder 23.

By reason. of the present invention, uniformity of material is insured, said uniformity not being disturbed after having been first determined, and perfect bonding is therefore provided. According to the present invention, greater strength is had, the material having arch construction, whereby strength and weight may be coordinated. lhe matter of burning .is greatly simplified, inasmuch as the sections can be much thinner than has been the case heretofore. lVith thisthinner material it is comparatively simple to get uniform treatment. Better and straighter ware is provided, for the reason that the perforations are small and numerous, giving iore support to the surfa we of the material andavoiding the present tendency of terra. cotta ware to sink between the ribs. The matter of drying is simplified by the present in vention, due to the uniform thin structure. Inasmuch as no filling is required, strength is greatly increased, By reason of the provision of a large number of small dead air spaces, heat and sound insulation are improved over prior practice. The present invention has the further advantage that it provides an article which is easier to refire than has been the case heretofore, this advantage accruing from the fact that the invention involves relatively thin sections, which, it will be noted, are disposed transversely to one another. A further advantage accrues fromthe fact that tlie terra cotta article as illustrated in Figures 3 and l is closed on all sides but one, thereby giving a good hold for mortar and saving cost of backing material.

Iwiany modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed isl. A terra cotta article having an imperforate front face, a plurality of symmetrically arranged round holes of uniform dia1neter each having its axis normal to said face and other symmetrically arranged round holes having their axes normal to said face, said other holes being of less diam eter than said first-mentioned holes and disposed in the material defining sets of four of said first-mentioned holes.

2. A terra cotta article having an imperforate front face and a plurality of ribs normal to said front face in supporting relationship with one another, said ribs being disposed generally in transverse relationship with one-another and being defined by round holes arranged as closely together as practicable, each of said holes being of uniform diameter from the bottom thereof to the rear face of said terra cotta article.

3. A clay article suitable for burning to produce a terra cotta article, said clay article having an imperforate front face, a plurality of symmetrically arran ed round holes of uniform diameter, each having its axis normal to said face, and other symmetrically arranged round holes having their axes normal to said face, Said other holes being of less diameter than said first-mentioned holes and disposed in the material defining sets of four of said first-mentioned holes.

l. A clay article suitable for burning to produce a terra cotta article, said clay article having an imperforate front face and a plurality of ribs normal to said front face in supporting relationship with one another, said ribs being disposed generally in transverse relationship with one another and being defined by round holes arranged as closely together as practicable.

A terra cotta article having an imperforate front face, aplurality of symmetrically arranged round holes of uniform diameter extending toward said front face,

lUii

said holes having their axes parallel with one another, and other symmetrically arranged round holes having their axes parallel with the axes of said first-mentioned holes, said other holes being of less diameter than said first mentioned holesand disposed symmetrically in the material defining sets of four of said first mentioned holes. GJA clay article suitable for burning to produceaterra cotta article, said clay article having an imperforate front face, a plurality of symmetrically arranged round holes of uniformdiameter extending toward said front face, said holes having their axes V parallel with one another, and other symmetrically arranged round holes having their axes parallel With the axes of saidfirst men- 

